The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-22
THE MIGRATION.

How long Abram resided at Haran with
his kindred we cannot definitely determine
from the record. He is said to have been
seventy five years old when he departed out
of Haran." He went "as the LcRD had COM
manded"-how we do not know, somehow
He spoke to his soul, no doubt,-taking with
him Sarai his wife, and Lot his nephew, and
probably brother-in-law, and all their posses
sions, chiefly focks and herds, and the slaves
they had gained at Haran. Abram went
forth with his caravan as an honorable and
mighty chief, to seek the promised fertile
pasture lands of Canaan. 1t is said that this
scene of Abrams departure and journey may
still be witnessed in almost exact counterpart
among the Arabian descendants of Abra-
hams brother, who remained in Haran. But
what marked difference in the history and
character of the two branches of the one
Scientific family! Religious faith and wor-
ship alone account for the difference in the
history of the two families or races. Abra-
ham turned away from the idolatrous prac-
tees and influence of his people, and went
forth to establish and maintain the worship
of the one only living and true GoD. His
kindred remained under the influences of the
false worship. These circumstances explain
the apparent facts in the history and social
and moral condition of the two widely dis
tinct peoples. "The kingdom of COP and
his righteousness" is the first condition in
the attainment and possession of all that is
most desirable in the experience and history
of mankind. Passing through the land which
was occupied by the Canaanites, the pilgrim
caravan halted for a season at the oak grove
of Moreh, near Shechem, in the fertile valley
between Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, the
Sychar, near which was Jacobs well, where
JESUS offered the ''water of life" to the wo-
man of Samaria. There, true to his faith
and deepest religious instincts, he erected
rude altar of worship, when GoD appeared
unto him and assured him that the land
wherein he sojourned should become the per-
manent possession of his numerous posteri-
ty. How the LORD appeared, We are left in
ignorance, or to infer. He appeared to wor-
Shipping Israel between the cherubim, where
was His presence in the sanctuary. Some
symbol of His presence may have attended
the earlier places of worship. He appeared
in visions and dreams, and by angels and
men. In some way He appeared to Abra-
hams soul, and communicated to him the
foundation for that strong and enduring
faith which gave to him the distinction of
"the father of the faithful" The pure in
heart see GoD.
His manifestations are not to the senses
but to the thought, the reason, the hopes, tn q
| affections, the soul of man. 'All Scripturo
is GoD breathed," said st. Pani: not orall !,
dictated, not mechanically written, but inn
pressed by contact of Spirit with spirit
DR.. DemdreSt
From Moreh he removed his tents to near
Bethel, afterwards distinguished as the place
of Jacobs vision when he was comforted in
! his flight from the anger of his brother Esau,
whom he had cunningly deprived of his IA
theirs dying blessing and patrimony. True
to the instincts of his trustful, pious soul and
the mission to which he knew himself to be
called of COP, he built again his altar and
worshiped GoD who had led him forth. After
sojourn here he continued his journey
through the promised land" traversiug the
whole country from Haran on the north, to-
ward the south, till drought in Canaan
caused him to go into Egypt, through which
the fruetifying Nile ran, TO regularly overflow
its banks, to make green its valleys and glad
den the hearts of the husbandmen and herds
men.
Abraham was a providential man, provi.
| dentially led. The promise to him of earthly
blessings for himself and for his family, was